


lunch break

by teasockschocolate



Series: Carlwheeler Appreciation Week [1]
Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, F/M, Light Angst, like its not really a disorder food just aint fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 15:20:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16997505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teasockschocolate/pseuds/teasockschocolate
Summary: carlwheeler week day 1: “All I want is to fall with you” | Falling in love/pre-relationshipshe's back?? after like seven months?? happy holidays ladies and gents this week is my attempt to get back in the game (idk if i'll have a fic for each day but i will give it my darndest show)





	lunch break

**Author's Note:**

> carlwheeler week day 1: “All I want is to fall with you” | Falling in love/pre-relationship
> 
>  
> 
> she's back?? after like seven months?? happy holidays ladies and gents this week is my attempt to get back in the game (idk if i'll have a fic for each day but i will give it my darndest show)

The door to Phillip’s office swung open with a bang, slamming into the wall. He jumped up, immediately tensing.

“Sorry,” Anne winced at the sound.

“It’s fine,” Phillip’s heartrate seemed to escalate more with her standing there than the brief second he thought he may be being attacked. “Uh, what is it?”

“What’re you doing?”

“Working…”

“You haven’t eaten, have you?”

The thought to lie first came to him, but knowing she’d see through it he said “I was going to get to it soon.”

The corners of her mouth turned down. “When’s the last time you ate?”

“I… I’m not sure.”

“Phillip,”

“It’s fine.”

“Here. I came to bring you this.” She stuck out her arm, extending a sandwich.

“It’s alright, really. I can feed myself.”

“Or not.”

“I’ll go eat soon. It’s not a big deal.”

“Phillip, just eat this.”

“I’m fine.”

“Phillip,”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You have to be. You haven’t eaten in days.”

His chest constricted, knowing full well why he hadn’t. Food had recently become the one thing he could control in his life. Not even that, it held no pleasure to him. It had no taste and only made his stomach feel sicker than it felt already. But he couldn’t tell her that.

“Anne,”

“Humor me. Just please do this for me.”

Phillip huffed a dry laugh. “Stop.”

“What?”

“Don’t do that. Pull the ‘for me’ card.”

“I’m not pulling anything.” Her eyes narrowed.

“You know I’ll do anything you say when you pull that.” It wasn’t fair to blame her, it wasn’t her fault. But it was so much easier to try to hate her for how she made him feel. He wished to God he could hate her.

“I wasn’t trying to manipulate you I just was trying to be nice and get you to eat.”

“How can I eat when I feel like this?” He dropped his head to look away from her.

He head her inhale, quick and pained.

“I’m sorry,” He tried to backpedal but it was too late. “I shouldn’t have said that I—”

“It’s fine.” Anne’s voice was laconic. “I’ll see you later.”

She turned to go and he scrambled round the desk to intercept her path. He laid his palm across the door, a request for her to wait more so than a demand.

“Anne,”

“What?” She dragged her eyes to meet his. The frustration was gone, replaced with a quiet resignation.

“I’m sorry. For… everything.”

“I know.”

“I just… I wish…”

“I know.” Anne averted his eyes again. “Me too.” She added, so softly he may have missed it.

“Please…”

“Oh, don’t do that.” She echoed him earlier with a sad smile.

The same smile played on his face and he drank her presence in. Who knows how long it would be before he got to be so close to her again.

“I should go.” She finally whispered.

“Okay.” Phillip ignored the sinking cavity in his chest and stepped away. He couldn’t deny her anything, after all.

“Promise you’ll eat.”

“I’ll try.”

“Please.” Her eyes darted back up to his again. “This isn’t good for you.”

The weight behind her words – the implication she didn’t want him to get sick, didn’t want him to be upset, wished as much as he that they could make this work – made him fight the brimming of tears. She was so close to him, how easily could he grab her hand and never let go this time, but lightyears away.

“I know. I will.” He backed up a little but refused to be the one to first break eye contact. For as long as he lived, he vowed to never be the one to pull away from her again.

They stood there in silence for a dangerously long time before Anne broke it with “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“Back downstairs. With everyone else.”

“Oh, people don’t want the boss hanging around.”

“C’mon,” She pulled open the door and tilted her head with a playful smile.

“Alright,” Phillip reciprocated the smile in spite of himself and stepped forward to follow her.

“Ah, ah.” She pointed back towards his desk. “Bring your sandwich. Everyone’s eating lunch now anyways.”

He held up his hands in surrender and did as she said. She smiled a little with a smug satisfaction.

“Look who I found!” Anne called as she hopped down the steps.

A warm welcome of cheers greeted Phillip, warmth blooming in his chest.

He was beckoned to sit between Charles and Lettie, ignoring the smirk Lettie threw Phillip as she darted her eyes between him and Anne.

The biting anxiety that he felt in the pit of his stomach on a daily basis subsided significantly just sitting among the troupe. He didn’t know the last time he’d been around so many people who genuinely seemed to care about him. He didn’t know if that had ever happened.

His heart fluttered when he caught eyes with Anne across the circle, but it didn’t hurt as much this time. “Thank you.” He mouthed to her.

The smile he got in return wasn't the typical sad or flirtatious smiles they'd more commonly exchange. It was a sweet, simple gesture of friendship. The simplicity of her kindness, the family she was reminding him he had, was all he really needed in that moment.


End file.
